Monitoring shows a healthy and growing peregrine
population across North America

When the American peregrine falcon soared off the list of endangered
species in 1999, the bird’s recovery from near extinction in North America
was hailed as a tremendous conservation success story. Today, the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service released monitoring results showing that the
bird’s recovery continues at an impressive pace.

The results from the first nationwide monitoring effort to measure the
peregrine falcon’s recovery put the number of nesting pairs in North
America at about 3,000 – nearly 10 times the number estimated in 1970 when
the bird was first protected as an endangered species and considerably
more than the roughly 1,800 breeding pairs estimated in 1999, when the
peregrine was declared recovered and was de-listed.

"This incredible bird continues to thrive," said Interior Secretary
Dirk Kempthorne. "We’ve been amazed at the peregrine’s ability to adapt,
especially to urban situations where they nest on buildings, bridges and
even smokestacks."

In the Northeast and Mid-west, two-thirds of peregrine falcons nest on
man-made structures. In other areas, more than 90 percent of peregrine
pairs nest on natural formations such as cliffs.

Fish and Wildlife Service Director H. Dale Hall credited the recovery
of the peregrine to the ban on the use of the pesticide DDT, protections
afforded by the Endangered Species Act, and the extraordinary partnership
efforts of the Service and state wildlife agencies, universities, private
organizations and falcon enthusiasts. These partnerships greatly
accelerated the pace of recovery through captive breeding programs,
reintroduction efforts and the protection of nest sites during the
breeding season. Simultaneous efforts also took place in Canada.

Like the recovery effort, the successful monitoring program is also the
result of partnerships. In 2003, the first year of post-delisting
monitoring, more than 300 observers - many representatives from the same
partners who supported the recovery effort - monitored 438 peregrine
falcon territories across six regions. Surveyed areas included the
Northeast/Great Lakes, Southeast, Southwest, Rocky Mountains, Pacific and
Alaska.

"This monitoring effort was unprecedented and would not have been
possible without the help of partners across the nation who provided
invaluable time and expertise," Director Hall said. "I thank them all

." Peregrine falcons are found in 41 of the 50 U.S. states. They do not
breed in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi,
Oklahoma, South Dakota or West Virginia.

A second round of post-delisting monitoring was done this year, and
preliminary results indicate that the peregrine population continues to
grow. Final results and analyses from 2006 will be published in a report
in the summer of 2007. Monitoring will continue in 2009, 2012 and 2015,
and monitoring of contaminant levels in eggs and feathers will be reported
in the future as well.

The Endangered Species Act requires five years of monitoring for
species removed from the list of endangered and threatened species to
ensure that populations remain strong. The Service decided to monitor the
peregrine falcon five times over a span of 13 years in order to provide
data reflecting the status of peregrines over three or four generations.
Peregrines begin breeding at about age 3.

A medium-size raptor, the peregrine falcon nests on tall cliffs and
urban skyscrapers and hunts other birds for food, reaching speeds of 200
miles an hour as they dive after prey. The bird’s remarkable speed and
agility, however, could not prevent its sharp decline after World War II,
when widespread use of the pesticide DDT and other organochlorine
pesticides decimated populations. The pesticide DDT caused peregrines to
lay thin-shelled eggs that broke during incubation.

By the late 1960s, the American peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus
anatum) had disappeared completely from the eastern United States and the
Midwest, and its numbers had dropped by almost 90 percent in the western
United States, Canada, and Mexico. One of the first species to be listed
by the U.S. government for protection, the peregrine historically ranged
throughout much of North America from the sub-arctic boreal forests of
Alaska and Canada south to Mexico.

During the recovery effort, more than 6,000 peregrine falcons were
released into the wild by government and private raptor specialists. Some
of the reintroductions took place in urban areas after researchers
discovered that the falcons can successfully adapt to nesting on
skyscrapers and other urban structures where they hunt abundant pigeons
and starlings.

A copy of the peregrine falcon post-delisting monitoring plan and the
results of the 2003 monitoring effort are available at http://www.fws.gov/endangered/i/B22_051506.html
. Hard-copy versions are available by contacting Michael Green,
Coordinator, Peregrine Falcon Delisting Monitoring, 503-231-6164, or
Michael_Green@fws.gov.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency
responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and
plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American
people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge
System, which encompasses 545 national wildlife refuges, thousands of
small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69
national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources offices and 81 ecological
services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws,
administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird
populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and
restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign and Native
American tribal governments with their conservation efforts. It also
oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of
millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to
state fish and wildlife agencies.

Questions and Answers about the Post-delisting
Monitoring Results

for the American Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus anatum)

What is a peregrine falcon?

The peregrine falcon is a charismatic raptor, the world’s fastest
flying bird, whose population dropped to precipitously low levels because
of pesticide contamination (from pesticides now banned throughout much of
the western hemisphere). Concern about their long-term survival led the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the species as Endangered in 1971.
Due to population recovery it was removed from the list in 1999.

What subspecies of peregrine falcon are native to North America?

Peregrine falcons have a nearly worldwide distribution. There are three
subspecies nesting in North America:

$ The Arctic peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus tundrius) nests on the
north slope of Alaska east across northern Canada to Greenland and winters
in Latin America.

$ The Peale’s peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus pealei) is a
year-round resident on the coasts of Washington, British Columbia and
Alaska north to the Aleutian Islands.

$ The American peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus anatum) nests in
southern Alaska, Canada, United States and northern Mexico.

Peregrine falcons that nest in subarctic areas generally winter in
South America, while those that nest at lower latitudes exhibit variable
migratory behavior. Some are non-migratory.

Why are we monitoring the American peregrine falcon?

The Endangered Species Act requires that species removed from the list
because of recovery need to be monitored for 5 years in order to assure
the long-term survival of those species.

How was the monitoring effort carried out?

Across the nation, 438 peregrine falcon territories were monitored: 36
in the Southwestern Region; 21 in the Southeastern Region; 100 in the
Alaska Region; 96 in the Pacific Region; 95 in the Midwestern/Northeastern
Region; and 90 in the Rocky Mountain/Great Plains Region. (More
information on the monitoring effort is available at http://www.fws.gov/endangered/i/B22_051506.html

How many of these territories were occupied?

The percentage of the monitored territories that were occupied by a
pair of birds varied from 78 percent to 95 percent across regions and
averaged 87 percent for the nation.

What was the nesting success rate?

The percentage of occupied territories that managed to successfully
raise at least one young ranged from 64 percent to 78 percent across
regions and averaged 71 percent for the nation.

How many of the nests successfully produced fledglings?

The number of young actually produced (productivity) varied from 1.45
to 2.09 across regions and averaged 1.64 for the nation.

What do these numbers mean for peregrine falcon recovery?

These estimates of territory occupancy, nest success and productivity
are at or above the levels we expect of healthy peregrine falcon
populations, and are above the targets we set in the peregrine falcon
monitoring plan.

How many peregrine falcons are there in North America?

Additional data collected by this effort documented that the total
number of nesting pairs for this subspecies in North America is estimated
at 3,005. This includes estimates of 400 pairs in Canada, 170 pairs in
Mexico, approximately 1,000 pairs in Alaska, and the rest distributed
among 40 of the lower 48 States.

Who participated in the monitoring?

More than 300 observers (volunteers and paid personnel) from state and
federal agencies, Native American tribes, universities, conservation
organizations and private individuals participated in the effort.

How did they gather information?

Observers ventured into the selected territories in 2003 at least two
times and sometimes many more times over a three-to-four month period to
observe peregrine falcons. Territory accessibility ranged from roadside to
remote, at times requiring hiking, rafting or access by air. Observers
visited each territory to determine occupancy, nest success and
productivity.

Were cities included in the territories monitored?

The monitoring effort showed that peregrine falcons are thriving in
many urban areas, where they nest successfully on smokestacks, tall
buildings and bridges. This is particularly true in the Northeastern and
Midwestern areas of the nation. In the rest of the nation, peregrines nest
most of the time on cliffs.

When will the next year of monitoring occur?

A second year of monitoring was done in 2006, and three more years are
planned, in 2009, 2012 and 2015. Final results of the 2006 monitoring will
be available in summer 2007.

Individuals with the proper permits who are already visiting nests to
band young peregrines are also collecting feather samples and addled (unhatched)
eggs. These will be analyzed for contaminants. Results of this effort will
be included in future monitoring reports.

What do peregrine falcons look like?

The peregrine falcon belongs to the genus "Falco," which is
characterized by long pointed wings. In fact the word Falco is derived
from "falx," the Latin word for sickle, in reference to the distinct
sickle-shaped silhouette of the peregrine falcon’s extended wings in
flight. Also unique to this species is the notched beak that is used to
kill prey by severing the spinal column at the neck. The peregrine falcon
is a crow-sized bird, weighing just over two pounds with a wing span of
approximately 3 feet. An adult peregrine has a dark grey back and crown,
dark bars or streaks on a pale chest and abdomen, and heavy malar (cheek)
stripes on the side of the face. Immature peregrines are buff colored in
front and have dark brown backs; adults are white or buff in front and
bluish-gray on their backs. Females and males are identical in appearance,
however, the female can be a third larger than the male.

Where is the peregrine falcon found?

The peregrine falcon has the most extensive natural distribution of any
bird in the world, limited only by high elevations, extreme heat and
extreme cold. It is found on all continents except Antarctica. In most
parts of the world, it is absent only in the high mountains, in large
tracts of desert or jungle, and on isolated islands in the oceans. The
American peregrine falcon breeds in Mexico, the United States, and Canada.

How did the peregrine falcon get its name?

Peregrine in Latin is "Peregrinus," which means traveler. peregrine
falcons are well known for their long fall and spring migratory flights to
and from their nesting and wintering habitats. The Arctic peregrine falcon
lives up to its name, breeding on the north slope of Alaska east across
northern Canada to Greenland in summer and migrating as far south as the
tip of South America to winter.

The sport of falconry involves training falcons to hunt game, and
people who practice the sport are called falconers. Early falconers
referred to peregrine falcons as such because - unlike most birds use for
the sport of falconry - they were always trapped during migration and not
taken from the nest.

How fast can a peregrine falcon fly?

In level flight, the normal speed for peregrines is about 40 to 55
miles per hour. In a stoop (dive) peregrine falcons can attain speeds in
excess of 200 miles per hour as they attack their prey.

How do they capture their prey?

Peregrine falcons are aerial predators, feeding on live birds and an
occasional bat, which they capture in mid-air. Peregrine falcons often
hunt in tandem, alternately diving on their prey until it is caught.

Do peregrine falcons have natural predators?

Peregrine falcons are fast, aggressive and fearless predators located
at the top of their food-chain; they rarely suffer from predation by other
animals. Great-horned owls and golden eagles are known to occasionally
kill fledgling peregrines, and less often, adults. Peregrine eggs
sometimes fall victim to raccoons and red-tailed hawks. The nestlings of
ground-nesting Arctic peregrine falcons may be preyed upon by grizzly
bears and foxes.

Do peregrine falcons mate for life?

Yes, peregrine falcons are monogamous. They also breed in the same
territory or area for their entire lives. There are exceptions, such as
when one mate dies or is replaced by a stronger individual. Sexual
maturity occurs during the second year of life, followed by approximately
one month of courtship. In the spring, 3 or 4 eggs are laid. Incubation
takes approximately 33 days and although both parents share incubating
duties, the female performs the greater share. Two or three chicks usually
hatch and fledge in approximately 42 days. After fledging, young peregrine
falcons are still dependent on their parents for food until they learn to
hunt, which takes about a month and a half.

Do peregrine falcons build nests?

Most birds build nests made of sticks and soft natural fiber material
in which their eggs are incubated. Peregrine falcons lay their eggs in
"scrapes," which are shallow indentations they scratch out with their
talons in the soft earth on the floor of their nests. Peregrine falcons
typically nest on ledges and in small shallow caves located high on cliff
walls. They have been known to use the abandoned nests of other birds, and
on the north slope of Alaska, commonly nest on the ground.

When do American peregrine falcons breed?

American peregrine falcons begin breeding activities in the south
earlier than in northern States. In Arizona and coastal California,
peregrines begin nesting in late February and early March. In Alaska,
nesting begins in May.

What was the historical size of the American peregrine falcon
population?

The historical status of the American peregrine falcon is not known,
but the species was probably never common, even when compared to other
birds of prey. The limited historical data suggest a best estimate of
3,875 nesting pairs. The decline of the American peregrine falcon
population began in the 1940s, was most pronounced during the 1950s and
continued through the 1960s into the early 1970s throughout most of its
range. By the time biologists realized the magnitude of the American
peregrine falcon decline, the population was only about 12 percent of what
it had been prior to the introduction of modern pesticides.

What caused the near extinction of the peregrine falcon in North
America?

The use of DDT as a pesticide during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s
resulted in a precipitous decline of peregrine falcons in North America.
During this period of DDT use, eggshell thinning and nesting failures were
widespread in peregrine falcons, and in some areas, successful
reproduction virtually ceased. As a result, there was a slow but drastic
decline in the number of peregrine falcons in most areas of its range in
North

America. DDE, a metabolite of DDT, prevents normal calcium deposition
during eggshell formation, resulting in thin-shelled eggs that are
susceptible to breakage during incubation. Peregrine falcons feed near the
top of the food chain and suffered from the accumulation of DDE due to
eating contaminated prey.

How many American peregrine falcons were there when the bird was first
placed on the endangered species list?

The eastern population of the American peregrine falcon was gone and
the populations in the west had declined by as much as 90 percent below
historical levels. By 1975, there were only 324 known nesting pairs of
American peregrine falcons.

What's the status of the peregrine falcon now?

Thanks to the increase in peregrine falcon population, the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service was able to remove the species from the Federal list
of threatened and endangered species effective August 25, 1999. The
peregrine falcon will be monitored at least through 2015 to ensure that it
no longer needs the protection of the Endangered Species Act. If
necessary, the species can be added back to the list in the future. For
more on the recovery of the falcon and the species’ monitoring plan, visit
the peregrine falcon recovery page at
http://www.fws.gov/endangered/i/B22_051506.html